Sure, Dawn of the Dead didn’t specifically include any productivity advice . . . but here are six lessons that I’ve learned from watching a lot of zombie movies.

Be Prepared for Anything

One of the best things about zombie movies is that absolutely anything can happen. Zombies can go from isolated loners to roving bands of brain eaters in a flash. Many a horror movie character has been slain by sprinting death machines when they assumed they’d be dealing with mindless shamblers. And who thought a zombie would figure out how to use an assault rifle?

The same is true with productivity. Whether you’re big into planning or you try to fly by the seat of your pants, you have to be ready for your priorities to change, whether you like it or not. This is why it’s so important to have a central place to keep all of your thoughts.

Just be careful about the amount of things that you get involved in. It can be dangerous to be spread too thin!

. . . But Groups Can Be Dangerous

Zombies are bad, but humans can be a lot worse when they’re put into the right circumstances. The loss of humanity and the monstrosity living beneath a civilized veneer are common themes in zombie literature. Small bands of humans trying to stay alive usually have pretty good chances, but when you get to 20 or 30 people and start to rebuild society, you’re asking for trouble. Especially when hierarchies start to get contested and loyalties are questioned.

The same is true of getting things done. While it’s good to have other people that can help you accomplish the things you need to do, relying on too many people can make it easy to forget who’s in charge of what, when they’re supposed to get back to you, and what the assigned task was in the first place.

Choose the Right Weapon

If you don’t have a weapon, you’re zombie food. A pistol isn’t great, because it has limited ammo and can be difficult to use. An assault rifle will exhaust a clip in no time. A sword is good for lopping off zombie heads, but you need to be at very close range to use it.

Try a few, and if you don’t find one that you like, make up your own. Use a spreadsheet, or a text document, or a notepad. Just make sure that you use the method that’s right for you. Look into your personality type. Maybe, it likes something as simple and timeless as Zen To Done or Gina’s Trapani’s Simplified GTD.

Protect Your Brains

Everyone knows that zombies eat brains. We’re not totally sure why, but by the time the zombie apocalypse hits, it doesn’t really matter. It’s not time for academic debate about zombie behavior — it’s time to stay alive. Protecting your brains is crucial when surrounded by the horde. If they get at you, it’s game over.

Your brain is even more important to you than it is to zombies (as you only have one and they have billions of options).

Neglecting your brain can have the most dire of consequences — not getting as much done or, in the worst cases, turning into a zombie yourself.

Know When to Run

This could be the most important lesson of all. No matter how good your defenses, how many patrols you have posted, and how confident you are that you’re prepared, you can never be absolutely sure that you’re safe. You always need to have an escape strategy and know when to use it (namely, run like hellHow To Survive The Zombie ApocalypseHow To Survive The Zombie ApocalypseWhether you personally believe that the zombie apocalypse is long overdue or that it's never going to happen, doesn't it pay to be prepared?Read More).

The same is true when you’re trying to be productive. Sometimes it just won’t happen, and that’s okay. Not every day is going to be a mega-productive one; when you’re struggling to move a project forward and it’s just not happening, remember that it’s okay to call it a loss and move on. We get obsessed by productivity, but it’s important to remember that there are other, more important things in life, too.

Awesome article, Dann! My days in management would have been easier with all this great information. Some days did feel like I was being eaten by Zombies! Now I only have to worried about running into them on the golf course, or in my art studio! Thanks for the chuckles, and the great apps.
VickiO

I've always wondered why the hand weapon of choice isn't a tactical tomahawk or hatchet. They are exceptional force multipliers that require little training, little strength, and are in a compact package. Not to mention, great all round multi purpose tools.

It certainly would perform multiple useful functions, but I think the reason that they're not generally cited as one of the better weapons is because they're so short that you need to get in really close. With a single zombie, that might not be a problem, but if there's more than one, the other will be on you by the time you swing through the first one.

Well that's a fun and creative way of talking about a boring subject (and linking a whole load of articles!). Nicely done :-) I read it purely because I love zombie films, especially 28 Days Later (the film that final frame is from).

Dann is MakeUseOf's Creative editor. After an MA (and most of a PhD) in psycholinguistics, he fully committed to digital and print journalism. With over 10 years of professional writing experience, he's written about everything from cognitive science to mountain biking.